1
: an added name derived from occupation or other circumstance : nickname sense 1
2
: the name borne in common by members of a family
Synonyms
Examples of surname in a Sentence
Noun
judging from your surname, I'd guess that your family is Italian
“da Vinci” was Leonardo's surname but not his family name, Vinci being the town near Florence where the great artist was born
Recent Examples on the Web
Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Nov. 2024
Women who don't want to lose their surnames sometimes hyphenate them with their fiancés'.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Eunice Yoon,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2024
The zoo’s manager, surnamed Huang, said the dogs are one of its top attractions.
—Alex Stambaugh, CNN, 20 Sep. 2024
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Noun
Editor's note: The attribution in this story was updated to reflect that Stroh is the legal surname of Jordan Stroh Ouellette.
—Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Nov. 2024
Women who don't want to lose their surnames sometimes hyphenate them with their fiancés'.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
The individual, surnamed Yang, declined to share his first name due to concerns about speaking with foreign media.
—Eunice Yoon,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2024
The zoo’s manager, surnamed Huang, said the dogs are one of its top attractions.
—Alex Stambaugh, CNN, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for surname
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Cite this Entry
“Surname.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surname. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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